Train or DART rail accident in Dallas: find out who owns the track and who to notify

In Dallas, the owner of the track decides who you claim against. DART owns 93 miles of light rail and shares the 34-mile Trinity Railway Express line with Trinity Metro. Freight railroads run on other DART corridors. DART is a government, so a claim needs written notice within six months. A suit against a private railroad is generally due in 2 years.

Last checked November 9, 2026 · Official sources (41)

Train accident in Dallas? See if you are owed money.

$0 upfront. No fee unless you win.

Free to send, no obligation. A law firm that handles this type of case in your state reviews it. How this works
Map of Dallas with DART light rail lines, Union Station and the Trinity Railway Express corridor
DART owns 93 miles of light rail and 66 stations. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Who owns the train that hurt you in Dallas?

TrainWho runs itWhat to know
DART light railDART, a regional transportation authority. Its lines are the Blue, Green, Orange and Red.Written notice within six months. Mail to P.O. Box 660163, Dallas 75266-0163.
Trinity Railway ExpressDART and Trinity Metro own the corridor together.Ask which agency ran the train that day before you send notice.
Freight trainBNSF, CPKC, Union Pacific and others use DART corridors.A private railroad. Generally 2 years to sue.
Dallas StreetcarOwned by the City of Dallas.Written notice to the city within six months. Claims go to Risk Management.
AmtrakUses EBJ Union Station with DART and TRE.Federal law caps all passenger claims from one accident at $200,000,000 as printed.

Texas caps what a local government pays under the Tort Claims Act at $100,000 per person and $300,000 per event. Ask a lawyer whether that cap reaches the agency in your case.

Where do you get a DART Police crash report in Dallas?

From DART Police, if they responded. They investigated 427 crashes in 2025. A report costs $6, or $8 certified, by check or money order payable to DART. Headquarters is at 2111 S. Corinth St. Rd. The non-emergency line is 214-749-5900. If Dallas Police responded instead, its reports cost $6.

DART takes concerns at 214-749-3333 on weekdays, but that line is not legal notice.

How do I report a blocked or unsafe rail crossing in Dallas?

Call the railroad number on the blue sign at the crossing. Report a blocked crossing to the Federal Railroad Administration. Texas cannot enforce a time limit on how long a train blocks a crossing.

Texas has the most public highway rail crossings of any state, with over 9,000. If a rough crossing hurt you, the railroad fixes the road surface over the crossties, and the road owner fixes the approaches.

Federal law requires the train horn to start at least 15 seconds before a public crossing. A missing horn is worth raising.

What proof should you ask a railroad to keep after a Dallas crash?

  • Event recorder data. The railroad must preserve it after a reportable accident, but only for 1 year unless federal investigators ask for more.
  • Crossing records. The blue sign number and the Federal Railroad Administration crossing report.
  • Your own photos of the signals, the gates and the view down the track.

Send the request in writing. Nothing makes a railroad keep everything forever.

Can you sue a railroad in Texas, or does federal law block it?

Sometimes federal law limits a claim. Claims about federally funded warning devices can be pre-empted. So can some claims about excessive train speed. Federal law kept other state damage claims alive. This is the main reason to talk to a lawyer who has handled railroad cases.

Railroad workers have their own law. Railroads are liable to injured employees under FELA, with 3 years to sue.

What if someone died near the tracks in Dallas?

We are sorry. The Dallas County Medical Examiner does not charge families for its services. It is at 2355 N. Stemmons Freeway, 214-920-5900. Federal data show trespass is the leading cause of rail-related deaths, and tracks are private property outside a crossing. Texas owes a trespasser only the duty to avoid willful, wanton or grossly negligent injury. That does not close every door. Talk to a lawyer before you decide.

Questions

How long do I have to sue after a train accident in Dallas?

Generally 2 years in Texas. A claim against DART or the city needs written notice within six months.

How do I get a DART Police crash report?

Pay $6, or $8 certified, by check or money order to DART.

How long can a freight train block a Dallas street?

Texas cannot enforce a time limit. You can still report it to the Federal Railroad Administration.

Does my own fault matter?

Yes. Above 50 percent fault, Texas bars recovery.

Train accident in Dallas? See if you are owed money.

A free case review. $0 upfront. No fee unless you win.

See if I’m owed money

Sources (41)

  1. DART, Property, checked 2026-11-09. “93 miles of light rail corridor with 66 light rail stations”
  2. DART, Property, checked 2026-11-09. “34 miles of Trinity Railway Express (TRE) commuter rail corridor jointly owned with Trinity Metro with 12 stations”
  3. DART, Property, checked 2026-11-09. “freight rail corridors operated on by BNSF Railway Company, CPKC, Union Pacific Railroad, Fort Worth & Western Railroad, and Dallas, Garland & Northeastern Railroad”
  4. Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 101.101, checked 2026-11-08. “not later than six months after the day that the incident giving rise to the claim occurred”
  5. Tex. Transp. Code ch. 452, checked 2026-11-09. “An authority is a governmental unit under Chapter 101”
  6. Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.003, checked 2026-11-08. “not later than two years after the day the cause of action accrues”
  7. DART, Legal Notices, checked 2026-11-08. “communications made through E-Mail or other messaging system shall in no way be deemed to constitute legal notice to DART”
  8. TxDOT, Rail frequently asked questions, checked 2026-11-09. “States lack authority to enforce time limits on how long a railroad company can block a crossing.”
  9. TxDOT, Rail frequently asked questions, checked 2026-11-09. “you can report blocked crossings directly to the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) by visiting their website”
  10. 49 CFR 229.135, checked 2026-11-09. “preserve the data recorded by each such device for analysis by FRA”
  11. 49 CFR 229.135, checked 2026-11-09. “This preservation requirement shall expire one (1) year after the date of the accident”
  12. DART Code of Conduct, checked 2026-11-09. “is a regional transportation authority created and operating under Chapter 452 of the Texas Transportation Code”
  13. DART, Property, checked 2026-11-09. “Manages the light rail right-of-way for DART’s Blue Line, Green Line, Orange Line, and Red Line”
  14. DART, Contact Us, checked 2026-11-09. “Dallas Area Rapid Transit 1401 Pacific Ave. Dallas, Texas 75202 DART Mailing Address P.O. Box 660163 Dallas, Texas 75266-0163”
  15. DART Facts, checked 2026-11-09. “Dallas Streetcar (City of Dallas owned)”
  16. Dallas City Charter, Chapter XXIII, Section 1, checked 2026-11-08. “within six months after the injury was received”
  17. Dallas City Code, Sec. 2-81, checked 2026-11-08. “shall file the claim with the office of risk management”
  18. Amtrak, Dallas Union Station, checked 2026-11-09. “It is used by DART light rail, TRE commuter trains, local buses and Amtrak.”
  19. 49 U.S.C. 28103, checked 2026-11-09. “shall not exceed $200,000,000”
  20. Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code 101.023, checked 2026-11-09. “$100,000 for each person and $300,000 for each single occurrence for bodily injury or death”
  21. TxDOT, 2025 Crashes and Injuries by Investigating Agency, checked 2026-11-08. “DALLAS AREA 1 2 16 18 77 115 79 174 242 806 12 78 427 RAPID TRANSIT PD”
  22. DART Police, Crash Report Request Form, checked 2026-11-08. “Peace Officer's Crash Report $6.00”
  23. DART Police, checked 2026-11-08. “2111 S. Corinth St. Rd.”
  24. DART Police, checked 2026-11-08. “214-749-5900”
  25. Dallas Police, Types of Reports, checked 2026-11-08. “There is a $6.00 fee for the accident report if requested through the mail or if picked up in person.”
  26. DART, Contact Us, checked 2026-11-09. “Requests, Commendations, Suggestions, and Concerns call 214-749-3333”
  27. TxDOT, Rail frequently asked questions, checked 2026-11-09. “Call the railroad's contact number listed on the blue sign posted at the crossing.”
  28. TxDOT, Rail and Traffic Safety (2025-2026 Educational Series), checked 2026-11-09. “with over 9,000 public, at-grade crossings”
  29. TxDOT, Rail frequently asked questions, checked 2026-11-09. “The railroad is responsible for performing repairs on the road surface over the railroad crossties.”
  30. TxDOT, Rail frequently asked questions, checked 2026-11-09. “Federal law requires the train horn to begin at least 15 seconds before the train approaches a rail/highway crossing of any public road.”
  31. Norfolk Southern v. Shanklin (U.S. 2000), checked 2026-11-09. “pre-empts state tort claims concerning a railroad's failure to maintain adequate warning devices at crossings where federal funds have participated in the devices' installation”
  32. CSX v. Easterwood (U.S. 1993), checked 2026-11-09. “only insofar as it asserts that CSX's train was traveling at an excessive speed”
  33. 49 U.S.C. 20106, checked 2026-11-09. “Nothing in this section shall be construed to preempt an action under State law seeking damages for personal injury, death, or property damage alleging that a party”
  34. 45 U.S.C. 51, checked 2026-11-09. “shall be liable in damages to any person suffering injury while he is employed by such carrier”
  35. 45 U.S.C. 56, checked 2026-11-09. “No action shall be maintained under this chapter unless commenced within three years from the day the cause of action accrued.”
  36. Southwestern Institute of Forensic Sciences, FAQs, checked 2026-11-08. “There are no charges for medical examiner services performed for your loved one.”
  37. Southwestern Institute of Forensic Sciences, Contact Us, checked 2026-11-08. “2355 N. Stemmons Freeway, Dallas, TX 75207 Telephone: (214) 920-5900”
  38. Federal Railroad Administration, checked 2026-11-09. “Trespassing is the leading cause of rail-related deaths in the United States.”
  39. Federal Railroad Administration, checked 2026-11-09. “It is illegal to access private railroad property anywhere other than a designated pedestrian or roadway crossing.”
  40. Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code 75.007, checked 2026-11-09. “owes a duty to refrain from injuring a trespasser wilfully, wantonly, or through gross negligence”
  41. Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 33.001, checked 2026-11-08. “a claimant may not recover damages if his percentage of responsibility is greater than 50 percent”

Editorial policy

See if I’m owed moneyNo fee unless you win
AccidentsCitiesStatesGuides
See if I’m owed money